Turning on the receiver, he listened to Francine sing along with the radio. She had a wonderful voice and in the evening, she would sometimes play the piano and sing. He'd lay on the couch and listen to her play, lost in the music and the sound of his wife's voice.

He sat at his desk and worked on his computer, one ear on the receiver, the rest of his attention on the computer.

"And now for your listening pleasure, B, I shall explain a conundrum to you. I will tell you all the reasons why I love you and all the reasons why you love me and I just hope someone is there listening to all of this because I know how much you just love to hear me go on about how wonderful you are, but you don't want anyone to know all the little, pleasurable things you do for me."

Grinning, he kicked back in his chair, feet up on his desk as he listened to his wife ramble on. He laughed outright at some of the outrageous things she said about him.

"Sounds like you have her brainwashed, Beaman."

Efraim nearly fell out of his chair at the sound of Billy's voice. "I didn't hear you come in!" Efraim quickly turned off the receiver, and righted his chair which had turned over when he had jumped out of it to silence the stream of rather off color compliments his wife was paying him.

"I imagine you didn't hear me, not with Francine filling your head with all that.No wonder there's no living with you now."

"I'll be sure to tell her you said that. You'll make her day." Efraimsat back in his chair, feeling the heat in his face recede. "What can I do for you, Billy?"

"How long are you going to let this go on with Stetson?"

"Dammit, Billy! I'm not the one who broke into my office and compromised security with a hackers box. And until I locate whomever keeps hitting my system in an effort to find that document, that kid and his entire family will stay in Federal custody because of Stetson. He created the problem, let him fix it."

"He doesn't know how." Both Billy and Efraim looked up to see Amanda Stetson standing in the doorway to Efraim's office. "May I come in, Efraim?"

"You might as well, everyone else has." Efraim answered, annoyed with the situation.

Billy shot Efraim a disgusted look.

Efraim sighed. "I'm sorry Amanda, come on in. Was there something you needed?"

"Yes. I'm here for the same reason Billy is. Francine was in my office this morning in tears over this. I don't need to tell you that she doesn't need this kind of stress right now. I'll admit, most of it is because her emotions are in full swing being pregnant, but that does not change the fact that she wants her husband, the father of her child, to be on speaking terms with one of her best friends. One of your best friends, I might add."

"Why are you talking to me? I didn't cause this. It's up to Lee to repair any breech there maybe between us."

"As I said, he doesn't know how."

Efraim threw his hands up in the air. "He apologizes. Easy. Done."

"That's easy for you to say, Beaman, but I seem to remember when you had trouble saying those words as well," Billyreminded him.

"If you're referring to my wife, I might remind you that Francine is my wife now." Efraim knew Billy was talking about the times when Efraim had been on the outs with Francine before they had become engaged. "Look, Francine is at her doctor's appointment and I've got things to do. When you convince Stetson to apologize, I'll listen to him."

Amanda gave Efraim a disgusted look and left the office, shaking her head. Billy sighed and left as well. Efraim got up and closed his office door against any other intrusions. Sitting in his chair, he turned the receiver on again and listened to Francine and the doctor talking.

"Let's hear the heartbeat. I want to hear the heartbeat! Come on!" Efraim once again kicked his chair back, feet on his desk, hands behind his head. He listened to the doctor telling Francine what he thought the size of the baby to be. Efraim grimaced, the baby sounded huge. Francine didn't seem to be bothered by that, she was telling the doctor she just wanted to see her feet again.

The doctor listened to the baby's heartbeat, saying that it sounded good and strong. Efraim could hear Francine's sigh of relief, which echoed his own. The steady thump-thump-thump of the heartbeat along with the occasional kick from the baby caused Efraim to smile. He grinned even bigger when he heard Francine giggle about the baby kicking the Doppler. He laughed when Francine told the doctor she was sure the baby was using Morse Code.

He listened as the doctor told Francine he'd see her again in a week, if not before. Sitting upright in his chair, he went back to the computer as he continued to do research for his report to the President. Looking for a particular file, he got up in search of the file in Francine's office.

Finding the file, he dropped it on his desk and decided on a cup of coffee before heading to Smyth's office. He listened to his wife tell him she was heading home and for him to not forget the time. She knows me pretty well! Efraim went to the cafeteria and got himself a cup of coffee, stopping to talk with a couple of the agents he had worked with in Fabrication.

The overhead speaker announcing his name and to report to his office caused him to raise his eyebrows. He headed back to his office, sipping the hot coffee being while being careful not to spill it on his suit.

Efraim stopped when he saw several people standing outside his office door, surprised when they gave him sympathetic looks before looking away. He felt his heart start pounding in his chest and he rushed into his office, shoving people out of the way.

"Billy, what's going on?" He put the coffee cup down on his desk and folded his arms across his chest. He could feel every muscle in his body coil as he waited for his boss's answer.

"Listen." Billy said, pointing to the receiver on his desk.

Efraim leaned over his desk, he heard a man talking to his wife.

". . . Who is your husband? Who does he work for? Where is he?"

". . . He works for a film company. I don't know what you want, but, please, let me go!"

". . . You will call him and tell him we wish to talk with him, then we will trade you and your baby for him. NOW!"

Efraim could hear shoving and the sounds of Francine's breathing. He could hear the threads of fear in her voice, but she was trying to keep her cool.

". . . If you would tell me what this about, maybe I could help you." Francine said.

". . . He plays games on the computer, trying to find us. Well, I have found him. There are few people who can work a computer like your husband, and as such it took time and much money, but I have found him. And he will give me access to what I want or he will not see you or your baby. Now call him!"

Efraim stood up straight and looked at Billy. For the first time since returning to his office, he saw Dave Geiger there, who had just returned from a vacation in England. Lee and Amanda were by the door, shock registering on Amanda' face, Lee was wearing his professional mask.

Efraim took two steps towards the door and punched Lee Stetson on the jaw, sending him flying out into the bullpen where he landed on his back. There was a stunned silence, then noise from every corner flooded his senses. Efraim had one thought, and that was to get his hands on Lee Stetson and kill him. He felt someone grab him from behind and he tossed them off, seeing Dave Geiger land on a desk out of the corner of his eye.

He watched Stetson get off the floor, rubbing his jaw. Efraim saw Lee's eyes narrow as he closed in on him.

"What the hell is going on here?" Dr. Smyth said as he entered the bullpen, stepping between Efraim and Lee. "Stetson, Beaman? Now!"

Amanda stepped in to explain. "Someone has abducted Francine, sir. And when Efraim heard them talking about computers and documents, he, well, he, uh. . ."

"Spit it out, Mrs. Scarecrow. The Boy Scout took some straw out of the Scarecrow. What is the status?"

"It doesn't look good, Dr. Smyth." Billy told him, anger evident in his tone.

Dr. Smyth turned to Lee, not bothering to hide his anger. "And so the crows have come home to roost, Scarecrow. I don't believe I need to lecture you on the consequences of your actions, you have a real, live object lesson unfolding before your eyes." Turning to Efraim. "Back down, Boy Scout. You've made your point. Right now, we need to find a way to get your wife back. Tell me how!"

Efraim tried to speak, but found his throat tight. He shook his head and went back into his office. Sitting down in his chair, he listened to Francine's breathing on the transmitter. She was tapping her nail on the bracelet, a faint sound but it came across the transmitter clearly.

Morse Code . . . I'm okay. I'll try to send my location. I'm okay.

Efraim felt the sting of tears burn at the back of his eyes, and he swallowed them knowing he had to keep his emotions in check. "She's okay. She's going to try to send her location. She's okay." He repeated the message, saying it like a litany, praying that it was true.

Billy sighed. "We have to wait for the phone call and for Francine to get us a location."

"What was she doing with a transmitter?" Geiger asked.

"I couldn't go to her doctor's visit, and I wanted to hear the baby's heartbeat. So Leatherneck put a transmitter in her bracelet." Efraim stopped and looked up at Dave Geiger. "Damn! He put a tracer transmitter in her bracelet, he was all out of the transmitters!"

Amanda went into the bullpen and picked up a phone. They could hear her telling Leatherneck what they needed.

Lee came into the office. "We need to get a team together so we can get to her before they realize what we're doing."

"You're not going anywhere near my wife and child, Stetson. You've done enough." Efraim said, he voice low, his tone menacing.

"Francine is one of my oldest and best friends. I will not sit by when she needs help."

"You should have thought about that before you hacked my computer!" Efraim shot back, standing up to lean over his desk, nose to nose with Lee who was leaning from the other side.

"That's enough! The two of you sit down and listen to me!" Amanda yelled, causing everyone to become stop and stare. "Francine needs us, or have you both forgotten that? Lee knows he was wrong and he's sorry for it, aren't you Lee?"

"Yeah," Lee said, his tone that of an unrepentant child.

Amanda hit him on the shoulder. "Aren't you?"

"Yes, I am sorry, Beaman. I didn't think and I shouldn't have hacked your computer. And I'm sorry for causing this. I would never want anything to happen to Francine, I love her too, we all do."

Efraim nodded, not trusting his voice. He was saved from answering by Leatherneck coming into the office.

"What is going on here? What's this I hear about Francine? Beaman?"

Efraim just shook his head, listening to the Morse Code coming across the receiver. He smiled when he heard her message that she wanted him to tell Lee not to fall asleep after she got back because she was going to send him in a box to the ends of the earth. He could hear Billy explaining to Leatherneck what had happened and what they needed.

Dr. Smyth sat on the edge of Efraim's desk, listening to the messages that Francine continued to send. "She's good, she's keeping her wits about her."

"She always does. She's so cool in situations like this." Efraim said, wondering how Francine did it, because he was a wreck at that moment.

"Because she knows you're going to come for her, Efraim," Amandas voice was soft, trying tocomfort him.

He shook his head at her. "No, it's because she's a damn good agent, not because she's waiting for me."

"No Efraim. You're her partner, and she's relying on you to get to her. That's what partners do and Francine knows that. She trusts you because she knows you won't give up. And she loves you. Don't underestimate all that trust she has in you."

"I won't."

Leatherneck looked up from his equipment. "Okay Boy Scout. It looks like she's heading towards Rock Creek Park. How do you want to handle this?"

Dr. Smyth lifted the telephone and called the trackers, barking orders for the best to get to Rock Creek Park immediately and to keep in touch and out of site.

Efraim walked over to his filing cabinet, opened the drawer and pulled out the case which housed his SIG P220. He shoved extra clips into his pockets and clipped the waist holder to his belt. Taking the receiver with him, he started to leave his office.

"Where do you think you're going, Beaman?" Billy asked him.

"To get my wife."

Billy started to argue, only to stop when Smyth held up his hand.

"It's best not to pin him down. Give him some room, but send Geiger and Stetson with him."

"Stetson might not come back." Billy told him, jerking his head towards Beaman and watching his agents scramble to catch up to him.

"Such delightful possibilities, Melrose. And to think I've always considered you a pessimist. Tsk tsk, you worry too much. Stetson will come back, Francine will want to deal with him herself."

Billy shook his head, a look of dismay crossed his face as he headed back to his own office.

Dr. Smyth raised an eyebrow at Leatherneck. "Do you have another receiver?"

"Sure do."

"Get it and meet me at my limo. Let's give the children some help."

"Sir, I don't mean to second guess you . . ."

"Then don't. That is one of my agents out there who happens to be nine months pregnant. And as you know, Leatherneck, I was a good tracker. I have no intentions of sitting here and letting Beaman, Stetson and Geiger shoot up Rock Creek Park. Grab Melrose on your way out, we don't need him stomping in, the embodiment of a G-man, now do we?"

"On my way."

Smyth watched as Leatherneck did as Smyth had told him. Billy came out of his office, his hat on his head, stuffing his old revolver in his shoulder holster. Some things never changed, and Smyth liked it like that.

"Well Melrose," Smyth said, meeting Billy in the bullpen. "Let us give assistance."

"I may shoot Stetson myself for this." Billy said, his voice rough with anger.

"If you had done it when I had ordered it in 1986, this would not be a problem today."

"You were wrong in 86."

"I was preemptive."

"Do you ever let anything go?"

"Very little. I find it helpful to trot out the failings and faults of my agents from time to time. It makes them strive harder."

Smyth pushed the elevator call button and crossed his arms over his chest as he chewed on his cigarette holder.

Billy shook his head. "Is everything a joke, a game, a chance to evaluate your agents?"

Smyth turned ice cold eyes on the Chief of Counter Intelligence. "You deal with stress by drinking antacid out of your coffee cup and eating sweets and treats. I deal with it in my own manner. I am fond of Mrs. Beaman. And her husband. And Stetson. In fact, I am rather fond of all of my agents, Melrose. If I wasn't, I would not put up with the antics and quirks of these people. I would be working with the stuffed suits at the FBI. Either way, I would be working with people who could not think their way out of paper bag."

"We agree on that."

"Besides, I owe the Beaman's a debt of gratitude. I pay my debts."

"I doubt they will be grateful."

"We shall see, Billy, we shall see."